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The 22 Best Songs That Represent Summer 2014

Sure, August has barely begun and I'm already calling it a wrap on the "Songs of Summer," but can you blame me? The top two songs of the season were released in February and April respectively and have dominated the charts ever since, so it's highly unlikely any upcoming music is going to swoop in and take the title—but that doesn't mean this list is Predictable Central. Instead of the usual 20, there are 22 songs, which is something that surprised me, but there were a couple of tunes that I simply could not cut. Also, quite a few less dance-y/pop-sounding tracks shook everything up and made their way onto the countdown. So without further ado, I'm presenting my favorite 22 songs that best represent summer 2014.

Usher is doing his best D'Angelo impression in the music video "Good Kisser." Read below to see where the song ends up.

22) Jake Owen—"Beachin'"

You know how the whole "rapping/singing" thing that infiltrated country music a little while back seemed like it was just going to be a fad? Well, it's not. It's here to stay for a while, as evidenced by "Beachin'," the No. 1 hit on Billboard's Hot Country Songs chart. Granted the lyrics aren't presenting anything new ("We got 2-for-1s, we're at a margarita bar/whatever happens happens"), but the music production is well done and the song has the perfect laid-back, easy, breezy vibe that the summer season embodies. So, even though "Beachin'" was the second single released off his fourth album Days of Gold, it's the first (and perfect) song to kick off this list:

U.K. singer Rita Ora has been having quite the summer. She's featured in Glamour magazine's August 2014 issue and finally having some chart success across the pond in America with her new single "I Will Never Let You Down." Billboard magazine recently named it one of the "10 Best Songs of 2014 (so far)" and rightfully so. It's written by DJ-songwriter Calvin Harris, who you'll be seeing later on this list, and is tailor-made to be in every romantic comedy that comes out this year. "Let You Down" is catchy, bouncy, and shows everyone how dance-pop should be done (hello, synthesizer!):

20) Ben Khan—"Youth"

Ben Khan, a 21-year-old Londoner, is probably the most mysterious artist on this list. Not much of his bio is available online, and his Twitter and Tumblr are not particularly forthcoming, but his enigmatic social media presence doesn't matter much. What does matter is that in the past 10 months, his debut four-track EP 1992 has amassed over 2 million listens on Soundcloud. A lot of that can be be attributed to "Youth," which has a bluesy, stuttering style that defines his music. The song also features the signature "Yeah! Woo!" vocal tic that's been in a lot of popular music recently and adds some complexity to the minimalist sound of "Youth." I have a feeling we're going to be hearing plenty from Khan in the future:

19) Fifth Harmony—"BO$$"

There really hasn't been a girl group that has broken through in the mainstream since Destiny's Child disbanded. That doesn't mean that people haven't tried. Enter Fifth Harmony, who were created during the second season of the now-canceled The X-Factor and have had middling success thus far. That might change with the girl power anthem "BO$$." While it's a tad repetitive, it's on the list because it's probably one of the catchiest songs of the summer and it name checks Michelle Obama. I'm sucker for anything that gives a shout-out to FLOTUS:

Say what you want about Maroon 5 not making music like the kind found on Songs About Jane, the fact remains that they know how to write a really good pop song that highlights lead singer Adam Levine's falsetto. "Maps" is one of those songs, and coupled with the fact that the accompanying music video is intense and gritty (cover your eyes if you're queasy), it's easy to see why this song has been all over the radio the past few months. It's also making me look forward to their upcoming album V, which drops in September:

17) The Black Keys—"Fever"

Admittedly, I became an immediate fan of this song thanks to the first few bars, which remind me of David Bowie's great song "New Killer Star." So, yes, I got into "Fever" because of the callback, but I stuck around because it's great. Typically known for a bluesier, grungy sound, the band deviates into a more mainstream feel with "Fever" but manages to keep the song from sounding predictable and forces me to keep pressing the repeat button. Enjoy!

It's no secret that I'm a giant fan of Miss Charli, so I'm not going to belabor the point. She's awesome, her music is catchy, she kind of sounds like Gwen Stefani, and she looks a little like Lorde. What's not to love? So just sit back and listen to "Boom Clap." It's the perfect pop song:

"A Sky Full of Stars" is the band taking another step into the EDM pool while still maintaining their signature big anthem sound. It suits them well. Not only do they sound happy here, instead of their usual melancholy selves, but they really do have a knack for doing uptempo material. It's no wonder "Stars" is one of the standout tracks on the uneven Ghost Stories.

14) Magic!—"Rude"

"Rude" is a super-fun reggae song about a guy asking his girlfriend's father if he can marry her. In fact, Nasri, the lead singer, loves her so much that even when the father says no, the lead singer is intent on marrying her anyway. Did I mention that Nasri is cute? Swoon alert!

13) Royksopp & Robyn—"Do It Again"

I don't know what the hell is going on in the video, but who cares. Royksopp and Robyn always make great music when they team up, just like they do on "Do It Again," a song that Robyn has called an "accidental pop song." It will get stuck in your head, and that's no accident:

Never in history of these lists—yes, there's only been three of them so far, but go with me—has there been a tie. It's only fitting that Usher is tied with his musical inspiration Michael Jackson. Usher's been doing a lot of electronic music lately, so it's such a pleasant surprise for him to go back to a more R&B/funk sound courtesy of super producer Pharrell. Minaj is also great on her short verse. If this doesn't become a No. 1 song, I'll be surprised:

11) (TIE) Michael Jackson—"Love Never Felt So Good"

What else is there to write? It's Michael Jackson with a classic Michael Jackson song and an assist from Justin Timberlake. It's amazing:

10) Kiesza—"Hideaway"

Fresh off her VMA nomination for Best Choreography for "Hideaway," Kiesza's new album is set to drop on August 10. I, for one, am extremely excited. She has an incredible, big voice and is bringing back the '90s dance sound that I grew up on. Plus, her dance moves are less slick than a typical pop star's and more like a super-hip version of Mayim Bialik from the Blossom opening credits.

But, in all seriousness, "Hideaway" is a fantastic song that's being played at probably every single club in the country right now:

9) Kongos—"Come With Me Now"

Yes, this song from South African quartet Kongos came out two years ago, but it just now has become a Top 40 hit, so clearly, there's something to be said for the song's perseverance. It's a foot-stomper and catchy as hell, which seems to be Kongos' M.O. I'm really looking forward to their next album and how their sound will evolve:

8) Pharrell—"Come Get It Bae"

Um, yeah, if Time.com does an article on the word "bae" because it's in your song, it's safe to say that you definitely have one of the top songs of summer. The lyrics aren't exactly the most inspired (motorcycle is a metaphor from male junk), but the instrumentation and hand claps are beyond infectious:

7) Disclosure—"Latch"

With an assist in the vocal department from Sam Smith, "Latch" has been one of the most-played songs of the year. Just when it seemed like its popularity was waning, it had a resurgence. That's not surprising because the song is highly catchy, thanks to Disclosure's production, and Smith sounds impeccable:

6) Calvin Harris—"Summer"

OK, name one time in the past few years that Calvin Harris has gone wrong. You can't. "I Need Your Love," "Sweet Nothing," "Feel So Close," and of course Rihanna's smash hit "We Found Love" all exist thanks to Harris. Well, it's time to add "Summer," as it has reached No. 1 on 12 different charts and gone platinum (1,000,000 sales) in three countries. It is the perfect summer song: light, breezy, and makes you want to dance:

Equal parts awesome and ridiculous, this song is an ode, if you will, to the butt, specifically when it jiggles and how it makes Derulo want to make wedding plans. It's so ridiculous that you have to love it:

Ever since their performance of "Somethin' Bad" at the CMT and Billboard Music Awards, it's been tearing up the charts. I guess that's what happens when you put two vocal powerhouses like Lambert and Underwood together and have them sing a rollickin' song. Here's hoping this isn't the last time they join forces:

3) Usher—"Good Kisser"

Oh my goodness, Usher is two for two with songs this summer. With the minimalist drum beat, this "Kisser" is slinky and sexy. Usher's vocals sounds as good as ever. Plus, the fact that it was parodied by comedians Jay Pharoah and Abbi Crutchfield proves that the song has truly infiltrated pop culture:

Shocker of the century, right? Wrong. We all knew this was going to happen. "Fancy" has been dominating airwaves and showing up in commercials since it was released in February. So, let's listen to it one more...OK, maybe 10, no, 12 more times before it's officially fall:

Released earlier this week, this song is quickly taking over the airwaves and will no doubt be played for the rest of the summer. Any wonder why? You have two vocal powerhouses in Jessie J and Nicki comes in with a great rap. Looks like this is the next "Lady Marmalade." Can't wait to see the video!